Chapter V: The Rites (1)

1. _General_

The exact order of the ceremonies is never given and probably varied in different localities, but the general rule of the ritual at the Sabbath seems to have been that proceedings began by the worshippers paying homage to the Devil, who sat or stood in a convenient place. The homage consisted in renewing the vows of fidelity and obedience, in kissing the Devil on any part of his person that he chose to indicate, and sometimes in turning a certain number of times widdershins. Then followed the reports of all magic worked since the previous Sabbath, either by individuals or at the Esbats, and at the same time the witches consulted the Master as to their cases and received instructions from him how to proceed; after which came admissions to the society or marriages of the members. This ended the business part of the meeting. Immediately after all the business was transacted, the religious service was celebrated, the ceremonial of which varied according to the season of the year; and it was followed by the 'obscene' fertility rites. The whole ceremony ended with feasting and dancing, and the assembly broke up at dawn.

This was apparently the usual course of the ritual of the Sabbath; the Esbat had less ceremonial, and the religious service was not performed. The Devil himself often went round and collected the congregation; and, not being in his 'grand arroy', he appeared as a man in ordinary dress. Instead of the religious service with the adoration of the god, the witches worked the spells and charms with which they bewitched or unbewitched their enemies and friends, or they exercised new methods which they learnt from their Master, or received instructions how to practise the arts of healing and secret poisoning, of causing and blasting fertility.

There are a few general accounts of the usual course of the Sabbath ritual. Danaeus (1575) does not distinguish clearly between the two classes of meetings, but at the same time he seems to have realized that a certain order was followed:

'Satan calleth them togither into a Diuelish Sinagoge, and that he may
also vnderstand of them howe well and diligently they haue fulfilled
their office of intoxicating committed vnto them, and who they haue
slaine: wherefore they meete togither in certen apointed places....
Wh[~e] they meete together he appeareth visibly vnto them in sundrie
fourmes, as the head and chiefe of that congregation.... Then doe they
all repeate the othe which they haue geuen vnto him, in acknowledging
him to be their God, th[~e] fal they to dauncing.... Whiche beeing all
finished, then he demaundeth agayne of them what they woulde require
of him.... Vnto some he geueth poysons ready made, and others he
teacheth howe to make and mingle new.... Finally, if in any thing they
neede his presence and helpe, by couenant he promiseth to be present
with them.'[465]

Boguet (1589) is more exact, as he obtained his knowledge at first hand:

'Les Sorciers estans assemblez en leur Synagogue adorent premierement
Satan ... ils luy offrent des chandelles, & le baisent aux parties
honteuses de derriere. Quelquefois encor il tient vne image noire,
qu'il faut baiser aux Sorciers.... Les Sorciers en second lieu
dansent.... Les danses finies, les Sorciers viennent a s'accoupler....
Les Sorciers, apres s'estre veautrez parmy les plaisirs immondes de la
chair, banquettent & se festoient.... Les Sorciers rendent conte a
Satan de ce qu'ils ont fait des la derniere assemblee.... Il fait
renoncer de nouueau a ces miserables, Dieu, Chresme, & Baptesme. Il
leur fait rafraischir le serment solennel qu'ils ont fait.'[466]

The English account is put together from foreign sources to a great extent:

'They are carryed out of the house, either by the Window, Door, or
Chimney, mounted on their Imps.... Thus brought to the designed place,
they find a great number of others arrived there by the same means:
who, before Lucifer takes his place in his throne as King, do make
their accustomed homage, Adoring, and Proclaiming him their Lord, and
rendring him all Honour. This Solemnity being finished, they sit to
Table where no delicate meats are wanting.... At the sound of many
pleasant Instruments the table is taken away, and the pleasant consort
invites them to a Ball.... At the last, the lights are put out. The
Incubus's in the shapes of proper men satisfy the desires of the
Witches, and the Succubus's serve for whores to the Wizards. At last
before Aurora brings back the day, each one mounts on his spirit, and
so returns to his respective dwelling place.... Sometimes at their
solemn assemblies, the Devil commands, that each tell what wickedness
he hath committed.... When the assembly is ready to break up, and the
Devil to dispatch them, he publisheth this law with a loud voice,
_Revenge your selves or else you shall dye_, then each one kissing the
Posteriors of the Devil returns upon their aiery Vehicles to their
habitations.'[467]

2. _Homage_

In some places the witches saluted their Chief by falling on their knees, and also by certain manual gestures; in other places by curtsies and obeisances. In Scotland, France, and Belgium, another rite was also in vogue, that of kissing the Devil on any part of his person that he might direct. At Como and Brescia the witches, 'when they paid reverence to the presiding demon, bent themselves backwards, lifting a foot in the air forwards.'[468]

Remigius, writing of the Lorraine witches in 1589, says:

'Es erzehlte die Beatrix Bayona dass einer unter ihnen allen der
Oberster wer, welcher in einer Zell auff einem hohen Stuhl saesse, sehr
ernsthafftig und praechtig heraus, zu demselbigen trete je einer nach
dem andern, mit Furcht und Zittern, falle ihm zum Zeichen seiner
Ehrerbietung fuer die Fuesse, und umbfange ihn mit aller Demuth und
Reverentz.--Erstlich fallen sie nieder auff ihre Knie; darnach legen
sie die Haende ausswendig zusammen, als diejenigen pflegen zu thun,
welche obtestiren, jedoch auff dem Ruecken und verkehrter Weise, sie
haben den Ruecken zu ihm gewandt, bleiben so lang kniend, biss er
selbsten zu ihnen sagt, dass es genugsam sey.'[469]

In Somerset (1664) the witches always mention the salutation:

'At their first meeting the Man in black bids them welcome, and they
all make low obeysance to him.--[Elizabeth Style, Alice Duke, Anne
Bishop, Mary Penny] met about nine of the Clock in the Night, in the
Common near _Trister_ Gate, where they met a Man in black Clothes
with a little Band, to whom they did Courtesie and due
observance.--Mary Green [went with others to] Hussey's Knap in the
Forrest in the Night time, where met them the Fiend in the shape of a
little Man in black Clothes with a little band, to him all made
obeysances.... On Thursday Night before Whitsunday last [she met
several others] and being met they called out _Robin_. Upon which
instantly appeared a little Man in black Clothes to whom all made
obeysance, and the little Man put his hand to his Hat, saying, How do
ye? speaking _low_ but _big_. Then all made low obeysances to him
again.'[470]

As late as the eighteenth century there is a similar account.[471]

Danaeus (1575) and Cooper (1617) are the only writers who mention the kiss in their general accounts of the ceremonies. The former says: 'Then biddeth he th[~e] that they fall down & worship him, after what maner and gesture of body he pleaseth, and best liketh of. Thus some of them falle downe at his knees, some offre vnto him black burning cadles, other kisse him in some part of his body where he appeareth visibly.'[472] Cooper mentions it as part of the admission ceremony: 'Secondly, when this acknowledgement is made, in testimoniall of this subiection, Satan offers his back-parts to be kissed of his vassall.'[473]

The ceremony is one of the earliest of which there is any record. In 1303 a Bishop of Coventry was accused at Rome of a number of crimes, amongst others 'quod diabolo homagium fecerat, et eum fuerit osculatus in tergo'.[474] Guillaume Edeline was tried in 1453; he was 'docteur en theologie, prieur de S. Germain en Laye, et auparavant Augustin, et religieux de certaines aultres ordres. Confessa ledit sire Guillaume, de sa bonne et franche voulente, avoir fait hommage audit ennemy en l'espece et semblance d'ung mouton, en le baisant par le fondement en signe de reverence et d'hommage.'[475] Martin Tulouff, tried in Guernsey in 1563, went to a meeting, 'ou ly avoet chinq ou vi chatz, d'ou il y en avoet ung qui estoit noir, qui menoit la dance, et d^t [*q] il estoit sur ses pieds plat, et que ladite Collennette le besa [*p] de derriere, et luy [*p] la crysse. Et luy dist ladite vieillesse [*q] ledit chat estoit le diable.'[476] Estebene de Cambrue, in 1567, described the ceremonies at the Sabbath: 'Ils se mettent a dancer a l'entour d'une pierre, sur laquelle est assis vn grand homme noir, qu'elles appellent Mosieur, & chacun de l'assemblee luy va baiser le derriere.'[477] The witches of Poictiers in 1574 'dansoyent a l'entour du bouc: puis vn chacun luy baisoit le derriere'.[478] The same ceremony took place at North Berwick in 1590: 'Now efter that the deuell had endit his admonitions, he cam down out of the pulpit, and caused all the company to com and kiss his ers, quhilk they said was cauld lyk yce.'[479] Jane Bosdeau confessed that at meetings at Puy-de-Dome in 1594 'all the Witches had Candles which they lighted at his, and danced in a Circle Back to Back. They kiss'd his Backside, and pray'd that he would help them.'[480] Andro Man of Aberdeen in 1597 confessed 'that all thay quha convenis with thame kissis Christsonday and the Quene of Elphenis airss'.[481] Rolande de Vernois in 1598 'confessa que le Diable se presenta pour lors au Sabbat en forme d'vn gros chat noir. Que tous ceux, qui estoient au Sabbat, alloient baiser ce gros chat noir au derriere.'[482] Cornelie van Beverwyck, aged 75, at Ghent in 1598, was accused that 'vous n'avez pas craint de vous agenouiller devant lui, de lui rendre hommage et de baiser son derriere en signe de soumission'.[483] Claire Goessen in 1603 went to 'l'assemblee nocturne de Lembeke, ou, apres la danse, elle a, comme tous les assistans, baise un bouc a l'endroit de sa queue'.[484] Jeannette d'Abadie in 1609 in the Basses-Pyrenees said, regarding the renunciation which she made on admission, 'il luy faisoit renouueller toutes les fois qu'elle alloit au sabbat, puis elle l'alloit baiser au derriere.'[485] At the celebrated trial of Louis Gaufredy at Aix in 1610, Magdalene de Demandouls gave a detailed account of the homage rendered by the witches:

'First the hagges and witches, who are people of a sordid and base
condition, are the first that come to adore the Prince of the
Synagogue, who is Lucifers lieftenant, and he that now holdeth that
place is Lewes Gaufridy: then they adore the Princesse of the
Synagogue who is a woman placed at his right hand. Next they goe and
worship the Diuell who is seated in a Throne like a Prince. In the
second place come the Sorcerers and Sorceresses, who are people of a
middle condition, and these performe the same kind of adoration with
the former, kneeling vpon the ground, but not prostrating themselves
as doe the other; although they kisse the hands and feet of the Diuell
as the first likewise doe. In the third place come the Magicians who
are Gentlemen and people of a higher ranke.'[486]

Isobel Gowdie of Auldearne in 1662 said, 'Somtym he vold be lyk a stirk, a bull, a deir, a rae, or a dowg, and he vold hold wp his taill wntill we wold kiss his arce.'[487] The explanation of this rite is given in the French authorities:

'Le Diable estoit en forme de bouc, ayant vne queue, & au dessoubs vn
visage d'homme noir, ou elle fut contrainte le baiser.--[Elle] depose,
Que la premiere fois qu'elle luy fut presentee elle le baisa a ce
visage de derriere au dessoubs d'vne grande queue: qu'elle l'y a baise
par trois fois, & qu'il auoit aussi ce visage faict comme le museau
d'vn bouc.--Il a vne grande queue au derriere, & vne forme de visage
au dessoubs: duquel visage il ne profere aucune parole, ains luy sert
pour le donner a baiser a ceux qui bon luy semble.--Es festes
solemnelles on baisoit le Diable au derriere, mais les notables
sorcieres le baisoient au visage.'[488] The two faces are thus
distinctly vouched for, and the use of them seems to have been to
distinguish the position of the witch in the society. The mask or
disguise is clearly indicated in the evidence of Isaac de Queyron, who
with others 'le baiserent a vne fesse qui estoit blanche & rouge, &
auoit la forme d'vne grande cuisse d'vn homme, & estoit velue'.[489]

The Devil was also kissed on other parts of his person. Marion Grant of the Aberdeen witches (1597) confessed that he 'causit the kis him in dyvers pairtis, and worship him on thy kneis as thy lord'.[490] Some of the Lyons witches 'le baiserent aux parties honteuses de derriere: les autres le baisent sur l'espaule.'[491] Jeannette d'Abadie in the Basses-Pyrenees (1609) confessed 'que le Diable luy faisoit baiser son visage, puis le nombril, puis le membre viril, puis son derriere'.[492] In connexion with this last statement, it is worth comparing Doughty's account of an Arab custom: 'There is a strange custom, (not only of nomad women, but in the Arabic countries even among Christians, which may seem to remain of the old idolatry among them,) of mothers, their gossips, and even young maidens, visiting married women to kiss with a kind of devotion the _hammam_ of the male children.'[493]

3. _The Dances_

Dances as an important part of fertility rites are too well known to need description. The witches' dances, taken in conjunction with the dates of the four great Sabbaths of the year, point to the fact that they also were intended to promote fertility. There were several forms of ritual dances, varying apparently according to the form of fertility required, whether of crops, animals, or human beings. The jumping dance seems to have had for its object the growth of the crops; the higher the performers jumped the higher the crops would grow. The so-called 'obscene' or 'indecent' dance was for the promotion of fertility among animals and women. When the dancers were disguised as animals, the dance was for the increase of the animals represented; when undisguised, for the fertility of human beings.

Although the dances took place at English witch meetings, they are merely mentioned and not described. The Scotch trials give rather fuller accounts, but the chief details are from France.

The two principal forms of the dance were the ring-dance and the follow-my-leader dance, but there was also a very complicated form which was not understood by the Inquisitors, who therefore dismiss it with the words 'tout est en confusion'. It still survives, however, in the Basses-Pyrenees, in some of the very villages which were inhabited by witches in the sixteenth century--those witches whose proceedings de Lancre describes so vividly.[494]

The ring dances were usually round some object; sometimes a stone, sometimes the Devil stood or was enthroned in the middle. Thomas Leyis, with a great number of other witches, 'came to the Market and Fish Cross of Aberdeen, under the conduct and guiding of the Devil present with you, all in company, playing before you on his kind of instruments: Ye all danced about both the said crosses, and the meal market, a long space of time; in the which Devil's dance, thou the said Thomas was foremost and led the ring, and dang the said Kathren Mitchell, because she spoiled your dance, and ran not so fast about as the rest. Testified by the said Kathren Mitchell, who was present with thee at the time forsaid dancing with the Devil.'[495] Margaret Og was indicted for going to Craigleauch 'on Hallow even last, and there, accompanied by thy own two daughters, and certain others, your devilish adherents and companions, ye danced all together, about a great stone, under the conduct of Satan, your master, a long space'.[496] Jonet Lucas was accused of 'danceing in ane ring' on the same occasion.[497] Beatrice Robbie was 'indited as a notorious witch, in coming, under the conduct of the Devil thy master, with certain others, thy devilish adherents, to Craigleauche, and there dancing altogether about a great stone, a long space, and the Devil your master playing before you'.[498] In the Basses-Pyrenees, 'Ils se mettent a dancer a l'entour d'une pierre, qui est plantee audit lieu, sur laquelle est assis un grand homme noir.'[499] Jane Bosdeau, who 'confessed freely and without Torture and continued constant in it in the midst of the Flames in which she was burnt', said that she had been to a witch-meeting, 'and danced in a circle back to back'.[500]

'Les Sorciers dansent, & font leurs danses en rond, doz contre doz.
Les boiteux y vont plus dispostement que les autres [et] incitoient
les autres a sauter & danser.[501] ... Quelquefois, mais rarement, ils
dansent deux a deux, & par fois l'vn ca & l'autre la, & tousiours en
confusion: estans telles danses semblables a celles des Fees, vrais
Diables incorporez, qui regnoient il n'y a pas log temps.'[502] 'On y
dance tousiours le dos tourne au centre de la dance, qui faict que les
filles sont si accoutumees a porter les mains en arriere en cette dace
ronde, qu'elles y trainent tout le corps, & luy donnent vn ply courbe
en arriere, ayant les bras a demy tournez: si bien que la plupart ont
le ventre communement grand, enfle & avance, & vn peu penchant sur le
deuant. On y dance fort peu souuent vn a vn, c'est a dire vn homme
seul auec vne femme ou fille.... On n'y dancoit que trois sortes de
bransles, communement se tournant les espaules l'vn a l'autre, & le
dos d'vn chascun visant dans le rond de la dance, & le visage en
dehors. La premiere c'est a la Bohemienne.... La seconde c'est a
sauts; ces deux sont en rond.'[503] 'Ils apperceurent a l'entree [d'vn
bois], vn rond, ou cerne, dans lequel il y auoit plusieurs vestiges de
pieds d'ho[~m]es, d'efans, & d'Ours, ou bien d'autres bestes
semblables,[504] lesquels estoient seulement enfoncez d'vn demy doigt
dans la neige, quoy que pour eux ils y entrassent iusques a la
ceinture.'[505]

The Swedish witches danced in the same manner. 'We used to go to a gravel pit which lay hard by a cross-way, and there we put on a garment over our heads, and then danced round.'[506] The round dance was so essentially a witch dance that More says, 'It might be here very seasonable to enquire into the nature of those large _dark Rings_ in the grass, which they call _Fairy Circles_, whether they be the _Rendezvouz_ of Witches, or the dancing places of those little Puppet Spirits which they call _Elves_ or _Fairies_.'[507]

It will be seen from the above quotations that there were many varieties in the ring dance; this was the case also in the follow-my-leader dance. There seems to have been also a combination of the two dances; or perhaps it would be more correct to say that sometimes the ring and follow-my-leader figures were used together so as to form one complete dance, as in the modern Lancers. In both forms of the dance one of the chief members of the society was the 'ring-leader', or leader of the dance. In the follow-my-leader dance this was often the Devil, but in the ring dances this place was usually taken by the second in command. When, however, the Devil was the leader, the second-in-command was in the rear to keep up those who could not move so quickly as the others. As pace was apparently of importance, and as it seems to have been a punishable offence to lag behind in the dance, this is possibly the origin of the expression 'The Devil take the hindmost'.

At North Berwick Barbara Napier met her comrades at the church, 'where she danced endlong the Kirk yard, and Gelie Duncan played on a trump, John Fian, missellit, led the ring; Agnes Sampson and her daughters and all the rest following the said Barbara, to the number of seven score of persons.'[508] Isobel Gowdie was unfortunately not encouraged to describe the dances in which she had taken part, so that our information, instead of being full and precise, is very meagre. 'Jean Martein is Maiden to the Coven that I am of; and her nickname is "Over the dyke with it", because the Devil always takes the Maiden in his hand next him, when we dance Gillatrypes; and when he would loup from [words broken here] he and she will say, "Over the dyke with it."'[509] Another Scotch example is Mr. Gideon Penman, who had been minister at Crighton. He usually 'was in the rear in all their dances, and beat up all those that were slow'.[510] Barton's wife 'one night going to a dancing upon Pentland Hills, he [the Devil] went before us in the likeness of a rough tanny Dog, playing on a pair of Pipes'.[511] De Lancre concludes his description of the dances (see above, p. 131) by an account of an 'endlong' dance. 'La troisieme est aussi le dos tourne, mais se tenant tous en long, & sans se deprendre des mains, ils s'approchent de si pres qu'ils se touchent, & se rencontrent dos a dos, vn homme auec vne femme; & a certaine cadance ils se choquent & frapent impudemment cul contre cul.'[512] It was perhaps this dance which the Devil led: 'Le Diable voit parfois dancer simplement comme spectateur; parfois il mene la dance, changeant souuent de main & se mettant a la main de celles qui luy plaisent le plus.'[513] In Northumberland in 1673 'their particular divell tooke them that did most evill, and danced with them first.--The devill, in the forme of a little black man and black cloaths, called of one Isabell Thompson, of Slealy, widdow, by name, and required of her what service she had done him. She replyd she had gott power of the body of one Margarett Teasdale. And after he had danced with her he dismissed her, and call'd of one Thomasine, wife of Edward Watson, of Slealy.'[514] Danaeus also notes that the Devil was the leader: 'Th[~e] fal they to dauncing, wherin he leadeth the daunce, or els they hoppe and daunce merely about him.'[515] This is perhaps what de Lancre means when he says that 'apres la dance ils se mettent par fois a sauter'.[516] A curious variation of the follow-my-leader dance was practised at Aberdeen on Rood Day, a date which as I have shown elsewhere corresponds with the Walpurgis-Nacht of the German witches. The meeting took place upon St. Katherine's Hill, 'and there under the conduct of Satan, present with you, playing before you, after his form, ye all danced a devilish dance, riding on trees, by a long space.'[517]

Other variations are also given. 'The dance is strange, and wonderful, as well as diabolical, for turning themselves back to back, they take one another by the arms and raise each other from the ground, then shake their heads to and fro like Anticks, and turn themselves as if they were mad.'[518] Reginald Scot, quoting Bodin, says: 'At these magicall assemblies, the witches neuer faile to danse; and in their danse they sing these words, Har har, divell divell, danse here danse here, plaie here plaie here, Sabbath sabbath. And whiles they sing and danse, euerie one hath a broome in hir hand, and holdeth it vp aloft. Item he saith, that these night-walking or rather night-dansing witches, brought out of _Italie_ into _France_, that danse which is called _La Volta_.'[519] There is also a description of one of the dances of the Italian witches: 'At Como and Brescia a number of children from eight to twelve years of age, who had frequented the Sabbat, and had been re-converted by the inquisitors, gave exhibitions in which their skill showed that they had not been taught by human art. The woman was held behind her partner and they danced backward, and when they paid reverence to the presiding demon they bent themselves backwards, lifting a foot in the air forwards.'[520]

In Lorraine the round dance always moved to the left. As the dancers faced outwards, this would mean that they moved 'widdershins', i.e. against the sun. 'Ferner, dass sie ihre Taentze in einem ronden Kreiss rings umbher fuehren, und die Ruecke zusammen gekehret haben, wie eine unter den dreyen Gratiis pfleget fuergerissen zu werden, und also zusammen tanzen. Sybilla Morelia sagt, dass der Reyhen allezeit auff der lincken Hand umbher gehe.'[521]

One form of the witches' dance seems to survive among the children in the Walloon districts of Belgium. It appears to be a mixture of the ordinary round dance and the third of de Lancre's dances; for it has no central personage, and the striking of back against back is a marked feature. 'Les enfants font une ronde et repetent un couplet. Chaque fois, un joueur designe fait demi-tour sur place et se remet a tourner avec les autres en faisant face a l'exterieur du cercle. Quand tous les joueurs sont retournes, ils se rapprochent et se heurtent le dos en cadence.'[522]

4. _The Music_

The music at the assemblies was of all kinds, both instrumental and vocal. The English trials hardly mention music, possibly because the Sabbath had fallen into a decadent condition; but the Scotch and French trials prove that it was an integral part of the celebration. The Devil himself was the usual performer, but other members of the society could also supply the music, and occasionally one person held the position of piper to the Devil. The music was always as an accompaniment of the dance; the instrument in general use was a pipe, varied in England by a cittern, in Scotland by 'the trump' or Jew's harp, also an instrument played with the mouth.

The Somerset witches said that 'the Man in black sometimes playes on a Pipe or Cittern, and the company dance'.[523]

The North Berwick witches (1590), when at the special meeting called to compass the death of the king, 'danced along the Kirk-yeard, Geilis Duncan playing on a Trump.'[524] The instrument of the Aberdeen Devil (1597), though not specified, was probably a pipe; it is usually called 'his forme of instrument' in the dittays. Isobel Cockie of Aberdeen was accused of being at a Sabbath on Allhallow Eve: 'Thou wast the ring-leader, next Thomas Leyis; and because the Devil played not so melodiously and well as thou crewit, thou took his instrument out of his mouth, then took him on the chaps therewith, and played thyself thereon to the whole company.'[525] At another meeting, Jonet Lucas was present: 'Thou and they was under the conduct of thy master, the Devil, dancing in ane ring, and he playing melodiously upon ane instrument, albeit invisibly to you.'[526] At Tranent (1659) eight women and a man named John Douglas confessed to 'having merry meetings with Satan, enlivened with music and dancing. Douglas was the pyper, and the two favourite airs of his majesty were "Kilt thy coat, Maggie, and come thy way with me", and "Hulie the bed will fa'."'[527] Agnes Spark at Forfar (1661) 'did see about a dozen of people dancing, and they had sweet music amongst them, and, as she thought, it was the music of a pipe'.[528] Barton's wife was at a meeting in the Pentland Hills, where the Devil 'went before us in the likeness of a rough tanny Dog, playing on a pair of Pipes. The Spring he played (says she) was, The silly bit Chiken, gar cast it a pickle and it will grow meikle.'[529] At Crook of Devon (1662) the two old witches, Margaret Huggon and Janet Paton, confessed to being at a meeting, and 'the foresaids hail women was there likeways and did all dance and ane piper play'.[530]

In France the instruments were more varied. Marie d'Aspilcouette, aged nineteen, 'voyoit dancer auec violons, trompettes, ou tabourins, qui rendoyent vne tres grande harmonie'.[531] Isaac de Queyran, aged twenty-five, said that a minor devil (_diabloton_) played on a tambourine, while the witches danced.[532] But as usual de Lancre is at his best when making a general summary:

'Elles dancent au son du petit tabourin & de la fluste, & par fois
auec ce long instrument qu'ils posent sur le col, puis s'allongeant
iusqu'aupres de la ceinture; ils le battent auec vn petit baston: par
fois auec vn violon. Mais ce ne sont les seuls instrumes du sabbat,
car nous auos apprins de plusieurs, qu'on y oyt toute sorte
d'instrumens, auec vne telle harmonie, qu'il n'y a concert au monde
qui le puisse esgaler.'[533]

Vocal music was also heard at the meetings, sometimes as an accompaniment of the dance, sometimes as an entertainment in itself. When it was sung as a part of the dance, the words were usually addressed to the Master, and took the form of a hymn of praise. Such a hymn addressed to the god of fertility would be full of allusions and words to shock the sensibilities of the Christian priests and ministers who sat in judgement on the witches. Danaeus gives a general account of these scenes: 'Then fal they to dauncing, wherin he leadeth the daunce, or els they hoppe and daunce merely about him, singing most filthy songes made in his prayse.'[534] Sinclair had his account from a clergyman: 'a reverend Minister told me, that one who was the Devils Piper, a wizzard confest to him, that at a Ball of dancing, the Foul Spirit taught him a Baudy song to sing and play, as it were this night, and ere two days past all the Lads and Lasses of the town were lilting it throw the street. It were abomination to rehearse it.'[535] At Forfar Helen Guthrie told the court that Andrew Watson 'made great merriment by singing his old ballads, and Isobell Shirrie did sing her song called Tinkletum Tankletum'.[536] Occasionally the Devil himself was the performer, as at Innerkip, where according to Marie Lamont 'he sung to us and we all dancit'.[537] Boguet notes that the music was sometimes vocal and sometimes instrumental: 'Les haubois ne manquent pas a ces esbats: car il y en a qui sont commis a faire le devoir de menestrier; Satan y ioue mesme de la flutte le plus souuent; & a d'autrefois les Sorciers se contentent de chanter a la voix, disant toutefois leurs chansons pesle-mesle, & auec vne confusion telle, qu'ils ne s'entendent pas les vns les autres.'[538] At Aix in 1610 'the Magicians and those that can reade, sing certaine Psalmes as they doe in the Church, especially _Laudate Dominum de Coelis: Confitemini domino quoniam bonus_, and the Canticle _Benedicite_, transferring all to the praise of Lucifer and the Diuels: And the Hagges and Sorcerers doe houle and vary their hellish cries high and low counterfeiting a kinde of villanous musicke. They also daunce at the sound of Viols and other instruments, which are brought thither by those that were skild to play vpon them.'[539] At another French trial in 1652 the evidence showed that 'on dansait sans musique, aux chansons'.[540]

5. _The Feast_

The feast, like the rest of the ritual, varied in detail in different places. It took place either indoors or out according to the climate and the season; in Southern France almost invariably in the open air, in Scotland and Sweden almost always under cover; in England sometimes one, sometimes the other. Where it was usual to have it in the open, tables were carried out and the food laid upon them; indoor feasts were always spread on tables; but in the English accounts of the open-air meal the cloth was spread, picnic-fashion, on the ground. The food was supplied in different ways; sometimes entirely by the devil, sometimes entirely by one member of the community, and sometimes--picnic-fashion again--all the company brought their own provisions. Consequently the quality of the food varied considerably; on some occasions it was very good, on others very homely. But no matter who provided it, the thanks of the feasters were solemnly and reverently given to the Master, to whose power the production of all food was due.

In a certain number of cases it is said that the food eaten at the feasts was of an unsatisfying nature. This statement is usually made in the general descriptions given by contemporary writers; it is rarely found in the personal confessions. When it does so occur, it is worth noting that the witch is generally a young girl. If this were always the case, it would be quite possible that then, as now, dancing and excitement had a great effect on the appetite, and that the ordinary amount of food would appear insufficient.

The taboo on salt is interesting, but it does not appear to have been by any means universal. It does not seem to occur at all in Great Britain, where the food at the feasts was quite normal.

Some authorities appear to think that the witches ate the best of everything. 'They sit to Table where no delicate meats are wanting to gratifie their Appetites, all dainties being brought in the twinckling of an Eye, by those spirits that attend the Assembly'.[541] Though this is dramatically expressed it is confirmed by the statements of the witches themselves. The Lancashire witches had a great feast when they met in Malking Tower to consult as to the rescue of Mother Demdike.

'The persons aforesaid had to their dinners Beefe, Bacon, and roasted
Mutton; which Mutton (as this Examinates said brother said) was of a
Wether of Christopher Swyers of Barley: which Wether was brought in
the night before into this Examinates mothers house by the said Iames
Deuice, this Examinates said brother: and in this Examinates sight
killed and eaten.... And before their said parting away, they all
appointed to meete at the said Prestons wiues house that day
twelue-moneths; at which time the said Prestons wife promised to make
them a great Feast.'[542]

The feast of the Faversham witches was also indoors. 'Joan Cariden confessed that Goodwife Hott told her within these two daies that there was a great meeting at Goodwife Panterys house, and that Goodwife Dodson was there, and that Goodwife Gardner should have been there, but did not come, and the Divell sat at the upper end of the Table.'[543] This was always the Devil's place at the feast, and beside him sat the chief of the women witches. The Somerset trials give more detail than any of the other English cases. Elizabeth Style said that 'at their meeting they have usually Wine or good Beer, Cakes, Meat or the like. They eat and drink really when they meet in their bodies, dance also and have Musick. The Man in black sits at the higher end, and _Anne Bishop_ usually next him. He useth some words before meat, and none after, his voice is audible, but very low.'[544] She enters into a little more detail in another place: 'They had Wine, Cakes, and Roastmeat (all brought by the Man in black) which they did eat and drink. They danced and were merry, and were bodily there, and in their Clothes.'[545] Alice Duke gave a similar account: 'All sate down, a white Cloth being spread on the ground, and did drink Wine, and eat Cakes and Meat.'[546] The Scotch trials show that it was usually the witches who entertained the Master and the rest of the band. Alison Peirson, whose adventures among the fairies are very interesting, stated that a man in green 'apperit to hir, ane lustie mane, with mony mene and wemen with him: And that scho sanit her and prayit, and past with thame fordir nor scho could tell; and saw with thame pypeing and mirrynes and gude scheir, and wes careit to Lowtheane, and saw wyne punchounis with tassis with thame'.[547] On another occasion a very considerable meeting took place 'in an old house near Castle Semple, where a splendid feast was prepared, which pleased the royal visitor so much, that he complimented his entertainers for their hospitality, and endearingly addressed them as "his bairns"'.[548] The Forfar witches had many feasts; Helen Guthrie says of one occasion:

'They went to Mary Rynd's house and sat doune together at the table,
the divell being present at the head of it; and some of them went to
Johne Benny's house, he being a brewer, and brought ale from hence ...
and others of them went to Alexander Hieche's and brought aqua vitae
from thence, and thus made themselfes mirrie; and the divill made much
of them all, but especiallie of Mary Rynd, and he kist them all except
the said Helen herselfe, whose hand onlie he kist; and shee and Jonet
Stout satt opposite one to another at the table.'[549]

Of the meeting at Muryknowes there are several accounts. The first is by little Jonet Howat, Helen Guthrie's young daughter: 'At this meiting there wer about twenty persones present with the divill, and they daunced togither and eat togither, having bieff, bread, and ale, and shoe did eat and drink with them hir self, bot hir bellie was not filled, and shoe filled the drink to the rest of the company.'[550] Elspet Alexander confirms this statement, 'The divill and the witches did drinke together having flesh, bread, and aile';[551] and so also does the Jonet Stout who sat opposite to Helen Guthrie at the table, 'The divill and the said witches did eat and drinke, having flesh, bread, and aile upon ane table, and Joanet Huit was caper and filled the drinke'.[552] On one occasion they tried to wreck the Bridge of Cortaquhie; 'when we had done, Elspet [Bruce] gaive the divell ane goose in hir own house, and he dated hir mor than them all, because shee was ane prettie woman.'[553] The Kinross-shire witches obtained their food from the Devil, and this is one of the few instances of complaints as to the quality of it. 'Sathan gave you [Robert Wilson] both meat and drink sundry times, but it never did you any good';[554] and Janet Brugh 'confessed that ye got rough bread and sour drink from Sathan at the Bents of Balruddrie'.[555] According to Marie Lamont, 'the devill came to Kattrein Scott's house, in the midst of the night. He gave them wyn to drink, and wheat bread to eat, and they warr all very mirrie.'[556] Isobel Gowdie's confession gives a wealth of detail as usual:

'We would go to several houses in the night time. We were at
Candlemas last in Grangehill, where we got meat and drink enough. The
Devil sat at the head of the table, and all the Coven about. That
night he desired Alexander Elder in Earlseat to say the grace before
meat, which he did; and is this:[557] "We eat this meat in the Devil's
name" [etc.]. And then we began to eat. And when we had ended eating,
we looked steadfastly to the Devil, and bowing ourselves to him, we
said to the Devil, We thank thee, our Lord, for this.--We killed an
ox, in Burgie, about the dawing of the day, and we brought the ox with
us home to Aulderne, and did eat all amongst us in an house in
Aulderne, and feasted on it.'[558]

At Borrowstowness the witches went to different houses for their feasts, which seem to have been supplied partly by the hostess, partly by the Devil and the guests.

'Ye and each person of you was at several meetings with the devil in
the links of Borrowstowness, and in the house of you Bessie Vickar,
and ye did eat and drink with the devil, and with one another, and
with witches in her house in the night time; and the devil and the
said William Craw brought the ale which ye drank, extending to about
seven gallons, from the house of Elizabeth Hamilton.'[559]

In 1692 Goodwife Foster of Salem gave a rather charming description of the picnic feast with the Coven from Andover:

'I enquired what she did for Victuals' [at the meeting]; 'She answered
that she carried Bread and Cheese in her pocket, and that she and the
Andover Company came to the Village before the Meeting began, and sat
down together under a tree, and eat their food, and that she drank
water out of a Brook to quench her thirst.'[560]

The Continental evidence varies very little from the British. Except in a few details, the main facts are practically the same. De Lancre summarizes the evidence which he himself collected, and contrasts it with what other authorities said on the subject:

'Les liures disent que les sorciers mangent au Sabbat de ce que le
Diable leur a appreste: mais bien souu[~e]t il ne s'y trouue que des
viandes qu'ils ont porte eux mesmes. Parfois il y a plusieurs tables
seruies de bons viures, & d'autres fois de tres meschans: & a table on
se sied selon sa qualite, ayant chacun son Demon assis aupres, &
parfois vis a vis. Ils benissent leur table inuoquant Beelzebub, & le
tenant pour celui qui leur faict ce bien.'[561]

The young man-witch, Isaac de Queyran, told de Lancre that the witches sat at a table with the Black Man at the end, and had bread and meat which was spread on a cloth.[562] The evidence at the trial of Louis Gaufredy at Aix in 1610 gives other details, though the eating of children's flesh is probably an exaggeration:

'They prouide a banquet, setting three tables according to the three
diuersities of the people above named. They that haue the charge of
bread, doe bring in bread made of corne. The drink which they haue is
Malmsey. The meate they ordinarily eate is the flesh of young
children, which they cooke and make ready in the Synagogue, sometimes
bringing them thither aliue by stealing them from those houses where
they haue opportunity to come. They haue no vse of kniues at table for
feare least they should be laid a crosse. They haue also no
salt.'[563]

Boguet also collected a considerable amount of information from the witches who fell into his hands:

'Les Sorciers, apres s'estre veautrez parmi les plaisirs immondes de
la chair, banquettent & se festoient: leurs banquets estans composez
de plusieurs sortes de viandes, selon les lieux, & qualitez des
personnes. Par deca la table estoit couuerte de beurre, de fromage, &
de chair. Clauda Ianguillaume, Iaquema Paget, & quelques autres
adioustoient qu'il y auoit vne grande chaudiere sur le feu, dans
laquelle chacun alloit prendre de la chair. On y boit aussi du vin, &
le plus souuent de l'eau.... Antoine Tornier a confesse qu'elle en
auoit beu [le vin] dans vn goubelet de bois; les autres parloient
seulement d'eau. Mais il n'y a iamais sel en ces repas.... Les
Sorciers auant que de prendre leur repas benissent la table, mais auec
des parolles remplies de blasphemes, faisans Beelzebub autheur &
conseruateur de toutes choses.... Ils accordent tous, qu'il n'y a
point de gout aux viandes qu'ils mangent au Sabbat, & que la chair
n'est autre chair que de cheual. Et adioustent en outre, que lors
qu'ils sortent de table, ils sont aussi affamez que quand ils
entrent. Antide Colas racontoit particulierement que les viandes
estoient froides.... Toutesfois il faut croire que bien souuent l'on
mange au Sabbat a bon escient, & non par fantaisie &
imagination.'[564]

The cold food occurs also in the accusation against a Belgian witch, Elizabeth Vlamynx, in 1595: 'Vous-meme vous avez apporte aux convives un hochepot [hutsepot] froid, que vous aviez prepare d'avance.'[565]

In Sweden the witches collected the food and sent it to the Devil, who gave them as much of it as he thought fit. The feast was always held indoors in the house known as Blockula.

'In a huge large Room of this House, they said, there stood a very
long Table, at which the Witches did sit down.... They sate down to
Table, and those that the Devil esteemed most, were placed nearest to
him, but the Children must stand at the door, where he himself gives
them meat and drink. The diet they did use to have there, was, they
said, Broth with Colworts and Bacon in it, Oatmeal, Bread spread with
Butter, Milk and Cheese. And they added that sometimes it tasted very
well, and sometimes very ill.'[566]

6. _Candles_

At first sight it would seem that the candles were naturally used only to illuminate the midnight festivities, but the evidence points to the burning lights being part of the ritual. This is also suggested by the importance, in the cult, of the early-spring festival of Candlemas; a festival which has long been recognized as of pre-Christian origin.

The light is particularly mentioned in many instances as being carried by the Devil, usually on his head; the witches often lit their torches and candles at this flame, though sometimes it seems that the Devil lit the torch and then presented it to the witch. To call the chief of the cult _Lucifer_ was therefore peculiarly appropriate, especially at the Candlemas Sabbath.

In 1574 the witches of Poictiers went to a cross-roads: 'la se trouuoit vn grand bouc noir, qui parloit comme vne personne aux assistans, & dansoyent a l'entour du bouc: puis vn chacun luy baisoit le derriere, auec vne chandelle ardente.'[567] The witches of North Berwick in 1590 mention candles as part of the ritual:

'At ther meting be nycht in the kirk of Northberick, the deuell, cled
in a blak gown with a blak hat upon his head, preachit vnto a gret
nomber of them out of the pulpit, having lyk leicht candles rond about
him.[568]--John Fian blew up the Kirk doors, and blew in the lights,
which were like mickle black candles, holden in an old man's hand,
round about the pulpit.[569]--[John Fian] was taken to North Berwick
church where Satan commanded him to make him homage with the rest of
his servants; where he thought he saw the light of a candle, standing
in the midst of his servants, which appeared blue lowe [flame].'[570]

In 1594 at Puy-de-Dome Jane Bosdeau went 'at Midnight on the Eve of St John into a Field, where there appeared a great Black Goat with a Candle between his Horns'.[571] At Aberdeen in 1597 Marion Grant confessed that 'the Deuill apperit to the, within this auchteine dayis or thairby, quhome thow callis thy god, about ane hour in the nicht, and apperit to the in ane gryte man his lickness, in silkin abuilzeament [habiliment], withe ane quhyt candill in his hand'.[572] In 1598 the witches whom Boguet tried said that--

'les Sorciers estans assemblez en leur Synagogue adorent premierement
Satan, qui apparoit la, tantost en forme d'vn grand homme noir,
tantost en forme de bouc, & pour plus grand hommage, ils luy offrent
des chandelles, qui rendent vne flamme de couleur bleuee. Quelquefois
encor il tient vne image noire, qu'il fait baiser aux Sorciers. Antide
Colas & ses compagnes, en baisant ceste image, offroient vne chandelle
ou buche d'estrain ardente. Ces chandelles leur sont baillees par le
Diable, & se perdent & esuanouissent des lors qu'elles luy out este
offertes. Il s'en est trouue qui ont confesse qu'ils alloient allumer
le plus souuent leurs chandelles a vne autre chandelle, que le Demon,
estant en forme de bouc, portoit au dessus de la teste entre les deux
cornes.'[573]

Some of the witches of the Basses-Pyrenees, tried in 1609, said that the Devil was--

'comme vn grand bouc, ayat deux cornes deuant & deux en derriere. Mais
le commun est qu'il a seulement trois cornes, & qu'il a quelque espece
de lumiere en celle du milieu, de laquelle il a accoustume au sabbat
d'esclairer, & donner du feu & de la lumiere, mesmes a ces Sorcieres
qui tiennent quelques chandelles alumees aux ceremonies de la Messe
qu'ils veulent contrefaire. On luy voit aussi quelque espece de bonet
ou chapeau au dessus de ses cornes.--Toute l'assemblee le vient adorer
le baisant sous la queue, & allumant des chandelles noires.'[574]

Barthelemy Minguet of Brecy, a man of twenty-five, tried in 1616, described the ceremonies of the Sabbath; after the sermon the worshippers 'vont a l'offerte, tenant en leurs mains des chandelles de poix noire qui leur sont donnees par le Diable'.[575] In 1646 Elizabeth Weed of Great Catworth, Hunts, confessed that the Devil came to her at night, 'and being demanded what light was there, she answered, none but the light of the Spirit.'[576] In 1652 a French witch stated that at the Sabbath 'on dansait sans musique, aux chansons. Toutes les femmes y etoient tenues par les diables par lors il y avoit de la lumiere une chandelle tenue au millieu par une femme que ne connoit.... Au milieux il y auoit une feme masquee tenant une chandelle.'[577] Barton's wife was at a witch meeting in the Pentland Hills, 'and coming down the hill when we had done, which was the best sport, he [the Devil] carried the candle in his bottom under his tail, which played ey wig wag wig wag.'[578] Helen Guthrie in 1661 does not expressly mention candles or torches, but her description of the flickering light on the ground suggests their use. She 'was at a meiting in the churchyeard of Forfar in the Holfe therof, and they daunced togither, and the ground under them wes all fyre flauchter'.[579] The Somerset witches stated that, when they met, 'the Man in Black bids them welcome, and they all make low obeysance to him, and he delivers some Wax Candles like little Torches, which they give back again at parting.'[580] The light seems to have been sometimes so arranged, probably in a lantern, as to be diffused. This was the case at Torryburn, where the assembly was lit by a light 'which came from darkness', it was sufficiently strong for the dancers to see one another's faces, and to show the Devil wearing a cap or hood which covered his neck and ears.[581] The latest account of a witch-meeting in the eighteenth century describes how the witches of Strathdown went to Pol-nain and there were 'steering themselves to and fro in their riddles, by means of their oars the brooms, hallooing and skirling worse than the bogles, and each holding in her left hand a torch of fir'.[582]

There is one account where the candle was for use and not for ritual. John Stuart of Paisley, in 1678, admitted the Devil and some witches into his room one night in order to make a clay image of an enemy. 'Declares, that the black man did make the figure of the Head and Face and two Arms to the said Effigies. Declares, that the Devil set three Pins in the same, one in each side, and one in the Breast: And that the Declarant did hold the Candle to them all the time the Picture was making.'[583] John Stuart was the principal person on this occasion, and therefore had the honour of holding the light. The description of the event suggests that the saying 'To hold a candle to the Devil' took its rise in actual fact.

The material of which the candles or torches were made was pitch, according to de Lancre, and at North Berwick the lights were 'like lighted candles' burning with a blue flame. The white candle seems to have been essentially the attribute of the devil, the black candles or torches being distinctive of the witches. That the lights burned blue is due to the material of which the torches were made. The evanescent character of the light, when a wisp of straw was used, is noted in the evidence of Antide Colas.

7. _The Sacrament_

The earliest example of the religious services occurs in 1324 in the trial of Lady Alice Kyteler: 'In rifeling the closet of the ladie, they found a Wafer of sacramentall bread, hauing the diuels name stamped thereon in stead of Jesus Christ.'[584] According to Boguet (1589) the Devil did not always perform the religious service himself, but mass was celebrated by a priest among his followers; this custom is found in all countries and seems to have been as common as that the Devil himself should perform the service.

'Celuy, qui est commis a faire l'office, est reuestu d'vne chappe
noire sans croix, & apres auoir mis de l'eau dans le calice, il tourne
le doz a l'autel, & puis esleue vn rond de raue teinte en noir, au
lieu de l'hostie, & lors tous les Sorciers crient a haute voix,
_Maistre, aide nous_. Le Diable en mesme temps pisse dans vn trou a
terre, & fait de l'eau beniste de son vrine, de laquelle celuy, qui
dit la messe, arrouse tous les assistans auec vn asperges noir.'[585]

The Devil of the Basses Pyrenees (1609) performed the religious ceremony himself: